Dominion

Recently, I gave the dogs a new toy (because a bored, high energy dog pack can result in destruction, and I prefer to keep them busy). It was a set of rubber rings intended for multiple dogs to play with. My smallest dog (husky) decided it was his and spent hours guarding it from the other dogs. After they lost interest, he got bored. So he found a dog who was sleeping, barked until he woke up, and then dangled the toy in his face inviting him to play. I was laughing with a friend about it and she mentioned how pleased with himself he looking for "having dominion over the toy". It reminded me of how we aren't to let sin have dominion over us, and led me to a topic study.

The word "dominion" is defined (Websters 1828) as "sovereign or supreme authority; the power of governing and controlling" or as "power to direct, control, use, or dispose of at pleasure; right of possession and use without being accountable". In scripture, we see dominion used for military conquest/ kigdoms, God's dominion over all (Psalm 145:13, Ephesians 1:20-22), and even to describe how death no more had dominion over Christ (Romans 6:8-10). We see man given dominion over earth, fish, fowl, cattle and creeping things (Genesis 1:26, Psalm 8:6-8). But there is another context we see dominion. used that seems a bit different from these- in Psalm 19:13, David asked God to "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression." Psalm 119:133 says "Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me."

The word let points to a choice. God is over all. If a country is conquered, there may not be a way for an individual to change that. The dog cannot change that man was given dominion over him. But, when it comes to sin, we see a distinction made. Romans 6:12-14 says "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof. Neither yield your members as instruments of unrightousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your memebers as instruments of rightousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." We see a responsibilty not to let sin reign in us, nor to yield our bodies to be instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. In verse 16 the Bible goes on to say "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether if sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

The definition of servant (Websters 1828) is "to keep or hold; one that waits, that is stops, holds, attends, or one that is bounds". It goes on to clarify that "the servant's subjection to a master is voluntary, the slave's is not." We can choose to yield to the dominion of sin- to allow it to direct, control, and use us... to subject ourselves to it. Have you heard someone try to justify a sin by saying something like "I didn't have a choice" or "I had to keep doing it"? There is a very real hold a sin can have over us. But, lets not forget that as Christians, we are to serve God, not sin. He has dominion over all.

My dog did not care if the other dogs wanted a turn with the toy. He was very happy to have "dominion" over it. But, he knows that I have dominion over him. They sometimes test to see which dog is strongest. But when I come out, all of them know to yield to me. That dominion carries with it a responsibility for and to. They obey me, and I make sure they are fed, protected, and cared for, I was given dominion over them by God, but I also know "A righteous man reguardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." (Proverbs 12:10) How I care for what I am given responsibility for speaks to my character.

When James and John wanted to be given authority over men, Jeus (Matthew 20:25-28) told them that unlike man's way of exercising dominion, they were to serve like he did. Paul, in writing to the Corinthian church specified that he did not have "dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy". (2 Corinthians 1:24) He had a spiritual responsibility to them and for them to God, but not a worldly rule over them.

As we look at our lives, what have we given dominion to? Are we serving God or sin? We each have an area of responsibility; as a parent, teachers, boss, employee... are we being faithful to and for whatever God has entrusted to us today?